“We’ve been around for two years and our business is growing,” responds David Harper.

“There are healthy opportunities throughout Australia but 90 per cent of our business is sourced overseas. ”

Mr Harper is one of four former elite military officers who set up West Perth-based Osprey and Asset Management (OAM) – a company aiming for national and global growth with its unique brand of risk management.

Partners Mr Harper, Peter Towndrow, Bob Hunter and John Gartner offer 90 years of collective expertise in managing highly risky endeavours in military and law enforcement in Australia, throughout the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

This experience is now deployed for the physical protection of mine sites throughout Asia, security services in Australia and Asia, project logistics management services - in particular for remote locations - emergency training and supervision, corporate investigations and personal security briefings, and preparatory training for staff transferred overseas

Their collective security experience ranges from protecting Australia’s A list, a member of Brunei’s Royal family, Australian Embassy staff in Cambodia, a Saudi Sheik, British Royalty, our Governor General and visiting heads of states.

Some 50 associates throughout Asia and Australia, many of them also former Special Air Services soldiers, are sourced for OAM projects.

But any notions that personnel are gun-toting former soldiers are quickly debunked after meeting the partners who advocate a “softly, softly”, more cerebral approach which usually renders force unnecessary.

The partners are multi-lingual, hold degrees and diplomas in management, military studies, survival and rescue management, business and personnel and resource management.

Their corporate mission is guided by three principles – identify the threat, reduce the risk and protect the asset.

Information gathering forms a major part of activities.

Time spent on reconnaissance is time well spent, says Mr Harper.

Every “what if” should be explored.

Associations throughout the Asia-Pacific, Africa and Papua New Guinea are used to gather information on the political, cultural, economic, social and environmental risks associated with doing business in a given location.

It is advisable to explore the range of social, cultural and psychological stresses the expatriate and their family will be exposed to.

Unprepared employees are often traumatised and end up resenting their employer.

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